The American flag was scarcely 70 years old in 1847 when brothers Benjamin and Edward Annin founded Annin Flagmakers flag–makers on Fulton Street in New York City. The business had begun with their father, Alexander Annin who had been sewing flags and supplying them to merchant ships from his sail-making shop on the New York City waterfront as far back as 1820. There, the company prospered and grew along with our nation.

Fulton Street, New York, NY circa 1890's.

In 1865 Annin Flagmakers experienced its first big surge in business when the
Civil War ignited the fires of patriotism in the American populace. This was the
first time in America’s history that private citizens purchased American flags
in significant numbers to display on their homes.

In 1910 Annin Flagmakers relocated to 5th Avenue and 16th Street, a location
that later came to be known as ‘Old Glory Corner’. Increased demand for American
flags coincided with our country’s industrial revolution in the latter part of
the 19th century. Annin Flagmakers, on the forefront of technology, then as it
is today, made the sewing machine, invented in 1846, a standard piece of
flag-making equipment.

Demand for U.S. flags boomed again in 1917 with our involvement in World War I
and it was during this time that Annin Flagmakers built its flagship plant in
Verona NJ. The new facility was fully modernized for its time, with all of the
latest equipment and a dedicated and skilled workforce. Brand new machines,
such as mechanized die-cutters for stamping out stars, were invented
specifically to automate the flag-making process and were installed at the
Verona plant. Assembly lines, popularized by Henry Ford, were also set up to
increase efficiencies. The management of Annin Flagmakers made certain that the
methods of production in their factories kept pace with 20th Century progress.

Historically, the domestic political climate and world events have affected U.S.
flag sales in a way that is unique compared with other products. While sales of
American flags dipped during the depression years, they rose again during the
patriotic fervor of World War II. The addition of the new states of Alaska in
1959 and Hawaii in 1960 generated a avalanche of orders from Americans who
wanted to replace their outdated forty-eight star U.S. flags with the new
fifty-star version. The anti-Viet Nam War sentiment during the turbulent period
of the late sixties and early seventies made those years lean ones for U.S. flag
sales but America’s Bicentennial in 1976 brought Old Glory back stronger than
ever.

Annin Flagmakers grew both in physical size and in production capacity in the
last twenty–five years of the 20th Century. Annin purchased competitive flag
companies Colonial Flag Company of Coshocton, Ohio in 1975 and Dettra Flag Co.
of Oaks, Pennsylvania in 1998. Dettra Flag Company had been Annin’s largest
commercial competitor since its inception in 1902.

By mid-twentieth century, Annin Flagmakers had become known as the premier flag
maker in the United States. It had the best quality products, broadest product
line, best-known brand, largest inventory, best service, highest fill rates and
the greatest production capacity in the industry.

The patriotic fervor that gripped the people of the United States after the
tragic events of September 11, 2001 led to an unprecedented demand for American
flags. Orders poured in for quantities of U.S. flags that were twenty times that
of normal. Annin Flagmakers rose to the occasion and dramatically increased
production.

In 2005, Annin Flagmakers joined with other domestic flag manufacturing
companies and became a founding member of the Flag Manufacturers Association of
America (FMAA). This industry organization is dedicated to promoting the
manufacture of U.S. flags in America by Americans with domestically made fabric.

Today Annin Flagmakers prides itself on embracing the best of 21st century
technology. Annin’s state-of-the-art SAP ERP business system allows it to offer
its customers improved service through best –in- class forecasting, purchasing
and manufacturing planning. Annin’s Mass Market customers can order with EDI and
ASN capabilities. A FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site is available for uploading
art files for custom flag and banner products

In Annin’s two largest domestic factories, US flags are manufactured with
advanced cellular production techniques; state, international and custom flags
are digitally and screen -dyed to exact color specifications; the in-house
research and the development testing laboratories, together with the art
department are constantly monitoring dye formulas. Our Distribution systems are
in real-time synchronization compliance with customer requirements.

Presently, Annin Flagmakers is still family owned and operated by the Beard and
Dennis families. On January 1, 2011 Carter Beard became the President and CEO of
Annin Flagmakers. Carter and his cousin Sandy Dennis Van Lieu, Sr. Vice
President, are supported by a strong team of managers, many of whom have over
twenty to thirty years of experience with the company. Annin Flagmakers employs
over 500 Americans and prides itself on the quality of its products and the
experience of its people.

Annin plans to extend its flag-making tradition well into the 21st century and
is committed to expanding and upgrading its manufacturing and distribution
capabilities.

With promises to its customers to make the best quality products and to offer
the best levels of service, Annin Flagmakers anticipates retaining its position
as America’s largest manufacturer and distributor of US flags for the indefinite
future.

Literally miles of red and white stripes. They are joined every
day by batteries of high speed, automatic sewing machines.